The hydrogenation of carboxylic acids and carboxylic esters to alcohols is known in the art, and various methods and catalysts have been suggested for effecting the hydrogenation. A commonly practiced method involves the use of a copper-chromite-based hydrogenation catalyst. While copper chromite catalysts are successful and commercially available, the disposal of the spent copper chromite catalyst is a problem since chromium can exist in different oxidation states. Some of these oxidation states are reported to be toxic to humans.
Typically, fatty alcohols are produced by hydrogenation of lower molecular alkyl esters of fatty acids. These esters are usually obtained by the trans-esterification of natural triglycerides or by esterification of the fatty acids obtained by the hydrolysis of these triglycerides. It has been found that natural triglycerides can be hydrogenated directly, without esterification, using the catalyst of the present invention to form fatty alcohols.